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(No Model.)

S. W; DOANE.

RAILROAD IORPEDOZPLAGER.

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N. PETERS. Pholoiiihogmpher. Washington. D. c.

device for laying torpedoes uponrailroad- UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

STEPHEN w. DOANE, OF HORNELLSVILLE, NEW YORK.

RAILROAD TORPEDO-PLACER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 376,078, dated January 10, 1888. Application filed June 4, 1887. Serial No. 240,298. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN W. DOANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hornellsville, in the county of Steuben, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful'lmprovements in Railroad Torpedo- Placers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide a tracks from moving trains, whereby time new ally st in slowing up and starting, which is very often dangerous, owing to lack of time and other causes, is obviated; and the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

By myinvention I construct a device by which torpedoes may be laid upon the track with certainty, and this without the necessity of slowing up or decreasing the speed of the train a particle, it being only necessary to Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the device being in the ing a torpedo.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in both figures of the drawings.

In carrying out my invention Iprovide a handle, A, of suflicient length to reach from the platform of a car to the track-rail B, and to the lower end of the handle is secured a flanged shoe, A, adapted to loosely fit the rail, and the flanges of which extend down at each side of said rail.

0 represents the pusher or placer plate mounted and adapted to be reciprocated upon the shoe A, the rear end of said plate being bent and perforated to form eyes 0, adapted to receive guiding-bars A, secured at each side of the shoe A.

Centrally pivoted to the handle or bar A is a lever, A, the forward end of which is pivposition assumed after placotally connected to the pusher plate 0 by means of a rod, A and the rear end of which ward end of which is bent downwardly, so as to project below the under surface of said plate.

The form of torpedo used is so well known that it is unnecessary to enter into a detailed description thereof; but suffice it to say, however, that it comprises an exploding-chamber or body portion. X, adapted to rest upon the rail, and depending arms X, adapted to embrace the same.

The device is designed in this instance to receive but two torpedoes; but it is evident that the parts receiving the same may be enlarged so as to receive any desired number. In this instance one of the torpedoes is placed under the raised portion 0 of the push-plate, between it and the parallel guides A and in front of the depending eyes 0, and the other in front of the guides and spring-tongue and under the forward end of the said push-plate, all as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The device, after being provided with the torpedoes, is trailed from the rear platform of a car along the top of the track-rail, and by drawing upon the operating-rod A against the tension of the, spring A the push-plate is caused to travel toward the end of the shoe, the spring-tongue 0 thereof pushing the torpedo from the shoe onto the rail. At the forward reciprocation of the push-plate the depending rear eye, 0, carries the rear torpedo to the position assumed-by the first torpedo, and in removing the pull upon the operatingrod the spring A retracts the rod A and push-plate O to its normal position, leaving the torpedo in front of the guides A the spring-tongue being of sufficient resiliency to ride over the torpedo and leave it in the described position. When the push-plate is drawn to its normal or rear position, the spring-tongue drops behind the remaining torpedo, and a second pull upon the operatingrod A repeats the operation and leaves the torpedo upon the track or rail.

By the means described a following train may be signaled to stop or slow up in accordance with the number of torpedoes exploded, which number are in accordance with a code ofsignals in operation upon the road.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim is- 1. A device for placing torpedoes upon a. rail from a moving train, comprising a handle provided at its lower end with a rail-embracing shoe adapted to receive torpedoes, a pushplate movably mounted thereon, and a lever for operating said plate,substantially as specified.

2. A device for placing torpedoes upon a rail from a moving train, comprising ahandle having a torpedoreceiving shoe at its lower end adapted to embrace the sides of the rail, a push -plate provided with a springtongue mounted on said shoe, and a push plate operating-lever pivoted to said handle, substantially as specified.

3. A device for placing torpedoes upon a rail from a moving train, comprising a handle having a torpedo-receiving shoe at its lower end provided with parallel guides, a pushplate having a spring-tongue mountedon said guides, a lever for operating the push-plate pivoted to the handle, and a retracting-spring connecting thelever and handle, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of thehandle A and the shoe A, affixed to its lower end and provided with the guides A with the push-plate O, hav' ing the downwardly-proiecting eyes 0' at its rear end and mounted on said shoe, and with the bar A", lever A, and rod A, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the shoe A and its handle A with the push-plate C, movably mounted thereon, bent, as at C", and having the spring-tongue G, and with the torpedoes X, substantially as specified.

(3. The handle A, in combination with the lever A", rods A and A, the spring A, the plate 0, and the shoe A, substantially as specilied. 

